Author Archive
It’s February:
How’s that New Year’s Resolution coming along?
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Right on track – Correct?
Well, if you’re like most people, you probably didn’t yell,
“Absolutely on Track!”
Good News: It’s not too late to get on track to meet that goal, or goals. There’s plenty of time, so don’t get discouraged.
Let’s take a look at what has to be done, and how a Mind Map might help.
- The New Year’s Resolution (goal) must be in writing.
A Mind Map, with pictures, if you’re a visual person, will better imprint the goals in your mind’s eye. You’ll ‘see’ them!- If it’s not written down or on a Mind Map, and you’re not looking at it every day, it’s not a goal. It’s only a thought, something you’d like to achieve.
- It must be specific, not general.
- I have two blogs. One of my NYE goals is to Read More→
- It must be specific, not general.
- If it’s not written down or on a Mind Map, and you’re not looking at it every day, it’s not a goal. It’s only a thought, something you’d like to achieve.
Looking at Mind Maps of Others
Makes me Dizzy!
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I understand.
Don’t Give Up on Mind Mapping!
Unless you develop your own, participate in making one,
or watch one being developed, it does seem confusing.
One of the great things about Mind Mapping is that each person can develop their own style.
Often, the person developing the Mind Map is going to be the only person using it. It may not be something that is going to be presented to others. (Ever take notes when you were in school? Could anyone who borrowed them decipher and benefit from them?)
I learned this the hard way. I was giving a presentation at a sales lead group. Before starting I handed out a Mind Map of what I was going to cover. For some of the attendees, they were thoroughly confused from the get-go.
I had done several things wrong. Read More→
Mind Mapping Works – Read More . . .
Posted by: | CommentsThe Name has Been Changed,
But this Case Study Shows . . .
I won’t reveal the client’s name, but a real life example of the benefits of Mind Mapping with a professional, knowledgeable of the theory and skilled with Mind Mapping software, is worth a post.
George's Tech Business - What We Do! / Click to Enlarge!
George: Jack of All Tech
One of the first things I always ask business clients is, “Tell me something about your company.”
This request, and followup questions, remind them, and give me, the ‘view from the sky’. The history of the business and the industry help clarify the current state of the business.
Another important question I ask is, “Tell me something about yourself.” I want to know a little about them personally: family, education, work experience and goals.
After learning more about George, the first Mind Map we made was of all the things George offers clients. In this case products and services included: printer repair, phone installation, closed circuit television, software customization, computer networking, etc.
The next step was to prioritize the map two ways; Read More→
Putting those Great Ideas into ‘Parents’
Posted by: | CommentsPut those kids with their Parents!
CLICK to Enlarge!
Group your ideas by placing them into ‘Parent’ categories.
One of the great things about Mind Mapping with software is that it is very easy to ‘Pop’ – ‘Pop’ – ‘Pop’ ideas related to your central (main) subject.
One of the downsides of this activity is that it sometimes so many ideas get onto the map that it can seem, at first, overwhelming.
That’s OK, because generating lots and lots of ideas and solutions, to opportunities and challenges, is one of the prime reasons to use Mind Mapping software.
The next step, and solution to being overwhelmed with ideas, is to group them into categories, or ‘Parent Boxes’.
As an example, I am writing and book about Public Speaking. Mind Mapping ideas on marketing that go beyond just writing the book and ‘putting it out there’ is one of my goals.
Above is an example of what I’ve come up with.
There’s a lot of stuff here, and kind of hard to follow and prioritize.
However, there are two distinct themes emerging: On-Line and Off-Line. Look at how they line up now. Read More→
Think you have Too Many Ideas?
You Actually have More!
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Mind Map those Ideas!
Ever have so many things flying around in your brain that you feel over-whelmed and don’t know where to begin?
Ever start listing them and trying to prioritize the list so you do the most important thing first, next most important thing second, etc?
Try Mind Mapping those ideas. Literally and physically you can get them all on one page. Having the ‘view from the air’ will help you see relationships and prioritize all those things that were spinning around in your brain.
One way to work on all this ‘brain stuff’ is to start with ‘Ideas‘ in the middle of your computer screen. (I’m assuming you’re using Mind Mapping software for this, because it makes the process immensely easier.) Use your ‘rapid fire’ function and start ‘popping’ all those ideas onto your screen using the ‘Ideas’ Central Image as your starting point.
Once you’ve got, for the moment, those ideas radiating from the center, you can start prioritizing them. I start at 12:00 and Read More→
Start with a Mind Map, then ‘Click’
to make in an Organizational Chart
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Start brainstorming with the ‘Rapidfire’ function
of the software you use for Mind Mapping.
Mind Map of New Product Introduction
My software of choice is Inspiration, but other brands have the similar ability to rapidly
Pop – Pop – Pop ideas onto a Mind Map.
This procedure, especially when done with someone knowledgeable of the theory and skilled in the use of mind mapping software, will produce the maximum number of ideas and solutions to challenges and opportunities.
Mind Mapping produces the ideas and solutions, but sometimes an organizational chart better conveys the results.
Unless your are involved in the development of a mind map from the beginning, it can at times, be an overwhelming thing to look at. It may even be too much, too quickly and confuse the person.
If you’re from the corporate world, org charts might have been part of your life. If not, they can still be something, when looked at, immediately convey the hierarchy of thoughts, ideas, and positions.
Mind Map morphed into an Organizational Chart
The ‘Org Chart’ will keep all the links and ‘layers’ that were developed within the original Mind Map. This is important, because so many of the details of those ideas and solutions will be in linked documents, websites, and even additional mind maps.
Discover More . . . Much More . . .
Posted by: | CommentsThere will be far more Ideas & Solutions
than you initially thought possible!
Mind Mapping, with someone knowledgeable about the theory and skilled with available software, will uncover more ideas and solutions to opportunities and challenges than any other method – Guaranteed!
This recently happened when Mind Mapping with a client on his new Financial Services business.
We started with a Mind Map of the four main products he offers his clients. The next step was to map each of those products. As we added graphics to the products, more and more things my client could offer came to mind. The map grew and grew and we linked it to additional Mind Maps for more clarity.
We wound up with four additional maps linked to the original.
He’ll use these maps as templates in his work.
Bottom Line: He’ll do a better job for clients by visually showing ideas and solutions to their individual and family needs.
David Allen -
The Productivity Expert,
on Mind Mapping
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David Allen, author of “Getting Things Done”, and a recognized expert on productivity equates
Mind Mapping with such life changing innovations as word processing and spreadsheet software.
That puts Mind Mapping in the category of things that have made a significant difference in productivity in, and out of, the workplace.
While Mind Mapping has been huge in Europe, it is only in recent years that it’s started finding its way into American businesses.
Our schools, especially elementary, have been using Mind Mapping and doing it with software. This should increase the use of the ‘Swiss Army Knife for the Brain!’
If you want them to “Get It!”
Use more Visuals and Less Text.
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In all modes of communication; verbal, written of visual, our goal is for the recipient(s) is the same. We want them, as quickly as possible, to “Get It!” .
And in this fast moving world where “Instant” isn’t quick enougn, the quicker they “Get It!”, the better.
The person(s) you’re communicating with may not agree with everything you present.
In fact, they may not agree with anything you present.
But unless they “Get It!”, a meaningful conversation can’t proceed.
Outline vs. Mind Map
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Question: What’s wrong with just doing an outline when working on a project?
Answer: The problem with outlines is that you’re trying to organize thoughts before you develop them.
Our brains don’t think that way.
Test this:
Take a piece of paper and write ‘Project’ at the top.
You pick the project – anything that requires thought and planning.
Examples: Trip, remodel, new product or way to distribute, marketing plan, etc.
Do this as you were taught in school; i.e. Roman Numbers, Capital Letters, Numbers, etc. (I, A, 1. a)
The odds are, that when you get somewhere around III c, you realize that item should be II b (or something like that).
Here, as stated above, we don’t think in linear fashion.
The beauty of Mind Mapping is that we map our main topic (project in this case) then radiating from the center, place all the things that need to be included in this project.
Those topics will have sub-topics, and they can start being mapped at this time.
Adding pictures, symbols and colors to the Mind Map will increase the ideas and solutions.
Only after you’ve put down as many topics and sub-topics as you can think of (and there willbe more!), do you go back and review, edit and prioritize your Mind Mapped project.
One of the nice features of most Mind Mapping software is that you can push a button and convert your map into a diagram (if that’s the way you prefer to use it.)
Some even let you export to Word where you can have the Mind Map and the outline.
